Hendersonville athlete makes USA team for deaf

Published: Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 9:49 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 9:49 a.m.

In February of 1980, the United States hockey team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history when it defeated Russia in a medal-round game in the Olympics in what will forever be known as the “Miracle on Ice.”

Little do many people know that Hendersonville has its own miracle on ice. His name is Troy Benson. He’s a hockey player who moved here four years ago from Michigan, and he’s deaf.

In December he received an e-mail he’d been waiting for his entire life. It was from the USA National Deaf Ice Hockey team’s head coach, Jeff Sauer, and it said Benson had made the USA’s 23-man roster.

“I felt like I had won the lottery,” Benson said.

He will now get to compete in the 2013 World Deaf Ice Hockey Championships from March 30-April 6 in Finland – his first trip overseas. For now, he resides in Glenwood Springs, Colo., as he trains for the championships daily.

A miracle at birth

Benson was born in 1990 with a birth defect called diaphragmatic hernia, a lifethreatening defect caused by a hole in his diaphragm which separates the intestines from the chest cavity.

“The hole allowed his intestines to invade his chest cavity, preventing his lungs from developing,” his mother, Laurie, said.

When he was born, his heart stopped beat­ing. “He coded ... and was placed on a life-saving device called ECMO. It is believed his deafness resulted from the antibiotics used to save his life. A rough start for such a fighter,” she said.

Her son hears low tones but can’t hear high sounds. He attended an oral hearing-impaired program at the age of 2, where he learned to read lips instead of signing.

Not a disability, but a gift

When he was 12, Troy Benson became addicted to hockey.

“That’s when I first started playing with my friends, and I got into it. I began to realize that hockey is in my blood,” he said. “The moment I put my skates on, everything inside me changes... it’s like freedom.”

As years passed, his skills on the ice became even better. By the time he was in high school, he was so good his friends suggested he try out for the varsity team.

“I remember walking in for tryouts in high school in Redford (Mich.) and everyone looking at me and saying, ‘Is he deaf?’ I wasn’t that good at first, and I remember everyone was on me the whole time,” Benson said. “So I skated even harder and pushed myself harder. I wanted to show them I can be better and that being deaf isn’t a disability, it’s a gift.”

Benson says he can’t hear whistles or teammates calling him for the

puck. “But I know what’s going on at all times on the ice by using my eyes and just the atmosphere,” he said.

Reaching his goals

Two years ago, Benson had another shot at playing professional international hockey for the United States, but the news he received after those tryouts wasn’t what he was hoping for.

“I tried out for the Deaflympics two years ago, and I didn’t get picked. I was disappointed, but I just told myself to train harder for the next tryouts,” he said.

And he did.

Due to a lack of funding, last year’s Deaflympics in Slovakia were canceled. That led to this year’s tryouts for the USA team in Chicago at the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association camp. Benson finally fulfilled his dream by getting selected, but he’s far from reaching his goals.

At the present time, he has one main goal on his mind — to help the USA win the gold at the Deaf Hockey Championships.

“We want to show the world that being deaf isn’t a disability or a handicap. We are different, but we can still do whatever we want and show them anything is possible,” he said.

Benson said he owes his success to his parents — his mother, Laurie, and father, Scott — and all of his friends who have stood by him all these years.

“After finding out I made the team, the first person I told was my dad, and he was shocked and couldn’t believe I made it,” Benson said. “We were in the car ride on our way to pick up my mom at work in Chimney Rock, and he couldn’t stop smiling. I knew he was really proud.

“Soon we got my mom and we told her; she was screaming ‘Yay’ and couldn’t stop talking about how proud she was. When we got home, I told my friends, and they said they weren’t surprised because they knew I would make the team. So without my family and friends, I couldn’t have done it without them. They supported me in every way.”

Besides the gold in Finland, Benson also has another goal in mind.

“I remember seeing a young boy on a soccer team in high school who only had one leg. I remember watching him playing and then seeing him score on the news once, and it inspired me. For athletes who are deaf, I want to be their inspiration one day.”

<p>In February of 1980, the United States hockey team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history when it defeated Russia in a medal-round game in the Olympics in what will forever be known as the “Miracle on Ice.”</p><p>Little do many people know that Hendersonville has its own miracle on ice. His name is Troy Benson. He's a hockey player who moved here four years ago from Michigan, and he's deaf.</p><p>In December he received an e-mail he'd been waiting for his entire life. It was from the USA National Deaf Ice Hockey team's head coach, Jeff Sauer, and it said Benson had made the USA's 23-man roster.</p><p>“I felt like I had won the lottery,” Benson said.</p><p>He will now get to compete in the 2013 World Deaf Ice Hockey Championships from March 30-April 6 in Finland – his first trip overseas. For now, he resides in Glenwood Springs, Colo., as he trains for the championships daily.</p><p>A miracle at birth</p><p>Benson was born in 1990 with a birth defect called diaphragmatic hernia, a lifethreatening defect caused by a hole in his diaphragm which separates the intestines from the chest cavity.</p><p>“The hole allowed his intestines to invade his chest cavity, preventing his lungs from developing,” his mother, Laurie, said.</p><p>When he was born, his heart stopped beat­ing. “He coded ... and was placed on a life-saving device called ECMO. It is believed his deafness resulted from the antibiotics used to save his life. A rough start for such a fighter,” she said.</p><p>Her son hears low tones but can't hear high sounds. He attended an oral hearing-impaired program at the age of 2, where he learned to read lips instead of signing.</p><p>Not a disability, but a gift</p><p>When he was 12, Troy Benson became addicted to hockey.</p><p>“That's when I first started playing with my friends, and I got into it. I began to realize that hockey is in my blood,” he said. “The moment I put my skates on, everything inside me changes... it's like freedom.”</p><p>As years passed, his skills on the ice became even better. By the time he was in high school, he was so good his friends suggested he try out for the varsity team.</p><p>“I remember walking in for tryouts in high school in Redford (Mich.) and everyone looking at me and saying, 'Is he deaf?' I wasn't that good at first, and I remember everyone was on me the whole time,” Benson said. “So I skated even harder and pushed myself harder. I wanted to show them I can be better and that being deaf isn't a disability, it's a gift.”</p><p>Benson says he can't hear whistles or teammates calling him for the</p><p>puck. “But I know what's going on at all times on the ice by using my eyes and just the atmosphere,” he said.</p><p>Reaching his goals</p><p>Two years ago, Benson had another shot at playing professional international hockey for the United States, but the news he received after those tryouts wasn't what he was hoping for.</p><p>“I tried out for the Deaflympics two years ago, and I didn't get picked. I was disappointed, but I just told myself to train harder for the next tryouts,” he said.</p><p>And he did.</p><p>Due to a lack of funding, last year's Deaflympics in Slovakia were canceled. That led to this year's tryouts for the USA team in Chicago at the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association camp. Benson finally fulfilled his dream by getting selected, but he's far from reaching his goals.</p><p>At the present time, he has one main goal on his mind — to help the USA win the gold at the Deaf Hockey Championships.</p><p>“We want to show the world that being deaf isn't a disability or a handicap. We are different, but we can still do whatever we want and show them anything is possible,” he said.</p><p>Benson said he owes his success to his parents — his mother, Laurie, and father, Scott — and all of his friends who have stood by him all these years.</p><p>“After finding out I made the team, the first person I told was my dad, and he was shocked and couldn't believe I made it,” Benson said. “We were in the car ride on our way to pick up my mom at work in Chimney Rock, and he couldn't stop smiling. I knew he was really proud.</p><p>“Soon we got my mom and we told her; she was screaming 'Yay' and couldn't stop talking about how proud she was. When we got home, I told my friends, and they said they weren't surprised because they knew I would make the team. So without my family and friends, I couldn't have done it without them. They supported me in every way.”</p><p>Besides the gold in Finland, Benson also has another goal in mind.</p><p>“I remember seeing a young boy on a soccer team in high school who only had one leg. I remember watching him playing and then seeing him score on the news once, and it inspired me. For athletes who are deaf, I want to be their inspiration one day.”</p><p>Little does Benson know that he already is.</p>